Palin Enjoys Modest Bump in Number of Americans Who See Her Favorably

The number of Americans who view Sarah Palin favorably rose modestly in Gallup's latest poll, conducted in the wake of her book tour, but a plurality of Americans still have a negative view of her.

Forty-four percent said they had a favorable view of Palin in the poll conducted Dec. 11-13, compared to 47 percent who still have a negative view, with 9 percent undecided. In October, 40 percent viewed her favorably and 50 percent saw her unfavorably.

The value of a biography that was a quick bestseller?

Gallup says while it "may have had a modest positive effect on views of her, it did not register quite the same impact as former first lady Hillary Clinton's book release appeared to in June 2003. Prior to the publication of Clinton's memoir, 'Living History,' 45 percent of Americans viewed her favorably and 46 percent unfavorably. Those ratings shifted to 53 percent favorable/43 percent unfavorable when the book was released, and remained above 50 percent for the next three-plus years."

The poll's numbers show that Palin is a polarizing figure. While 79 percent of Republicans see her favorably, only 21 percent of Democrats do. Forty percent of independents view her positively.

A CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted Dec. 2-3 also found improvement in Palin's standing with the public, with those who saw her favorably or unfavorably matched at 46 percent each, compared to October's numbers, which had 52 percent seeing her unfavorably and 42 percent favorably.

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